Every now and then I have flashbacks to this trip. It seems like an age ago that I completed this 2.5 year journey, but at the same time it is like it was only yesterday. Something that cements that feeling of timelessness is the memory of the people I met on the road and stayed with during the journey. Over the next few blog posts I will delve into those sweet memories and share with you some of the people that so often sneak their way back into my mind…
Kirk and Donna
Kirk and Donna live in Los Angeles. More or less on the beach in Los Angeles. They will forever occupy a special place in my heart for the awesome support they gave me at the end of my skate trip across the US. I met them through my blog, I think, right near the beginning of my trip when I was still in Japan in 2006….
The time I stayed with Kirk and Donna was a time for me that was transitional in so many ways. For the first time in a long time I was able to stop. Really just stop and not have anywhere I had to skate to the next day. I knew that I had a plane to catch at some point, but to be able to stop at their place and take at least a little bit of time out was very special.
This short stop was special in another way too. It was where the “longboard trailer” was finally made into being. The idea of using a trailer attached to my longboard to carry my gear had been hatched long before staying at Kirk and Donna’s place. That was somewhere at the beginning of the US leg. It had been given a healthy dose of encouragement half way across the US during a surprise telephone call from Cory Poole (on this very day, I do believe), and it was there at Kirk and Donna’s that it finally came together.
Kirk was an absolute legend, and just the man to be staying with at this time; he had all the right tools to convert an ultra-high spec carbon fibre longboard into a trailer that would eventually survive an epic 5,000km across China.
It is amazing how memories like this flow back to my mind like they were yesterday. I remember leaving Kirk and Donna’s place in an absolute mess as we hurried to get everthing packed for me to head to China. I remember eating amazing sushi near the beach. I remember talking faith at an icecream store. And I remember amazing watermelon smoothie…thank you Kirk and Donna for being amazing wonderful helpful generous people.
Below is the mayhem of packing for the flight to China…
Rob, Thanks for the memories. I had a great time following your trip and was thrilled to be able to host you while you were in Los Angeles. You are welcome anytime you come back through here. -Kirk
Thanks for sharing. What good memories for you to remember.